“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” – Malachi 3:11
In this lesson, you will discover how tithing stops the negative effects the devourer has on the finances of people who do not tithe. We understand there are four types of insects the people of God dealt with when it came to their crops being destroyed. They are the locust, cankerworm, caterpillar, and palmerworm. Even though these natural pests actually robbed God’s people of their harvest, they are also symbols of what takes place in the spirit realm for believers who refuse to tithe today.
Their invasions caused the heaviest calamities. The numbers exceed computation. They ravage and produce dreadful devastations. Their flight obscures the sun and casts a thick shadow on the earth. No walls or barriers can stop them. If a door or window was open, they entered destroying everything of wood in the house (Foundation – Daily resources; immediate pay). Such an awful visitation swept over Egypt, consuming before it every green thing, stripping trees, until the land was bared of all signs of vegetation. (Exodus 10:1-9, Judges 6:5, Jeremiah 46:23)
The licking locust which licks up the grass of the field (Covering: Savings).
It is the locust at a certain stage of young growth. It’s not picky, it just takes what is available. They spoileth and fleeth away. Ps 105:34, Nahum 3:16
The consumer; used in the Old Testament as the translation of a word (hasil); the root of which means to devour or consume. It may have been a species of locust or the name of the transformations through which the locust passes. (Caterpillar = Transition: deals with the exterior – natural interior – soul, deals with your desires/impulses…stronger appetites, multiplication of evil. I Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28)
The English word to denote either a caterpillar, which wanders like a palmer or pilgrim or which travels like pilgrims in bands. Joel 1:4; 2:25. This is the wingless locust or the migratory locust in its larva state. (Mobile – attack your assets)
The Bible calls these insects the devourer because they destroy your increase. Once these insects were in your field there was no hope for a harvest.
When a person refuses to tithe, he is under a curse. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation (Malachi 3:8-9).
An evil that has been invoked
The cause of evil, misfortune, or trouble.
An appeal to a supernatural power for harm to come to a specific person, group, etc.
To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon a person.
The curse of Malachi 3:8-9 is supernatural but it produces natural enemies such as locust, cankerworm, caterpillar, and palmerworm in the lives of the people in the bible days. It still evokes evil to affect our lives today? What do you see that reflects the devourer in our day and age?
Today, the curse is still in effect; only the supernatural effect is spiritual. Instead of insects being released to destroy your crops, demonic spirits are released in order to cause tremendous economic hardships in the life of the non-tither. The curse takes many forms in the life of those who refuse to tithe. In the natural, God said the initial manifestation of the curse would be that the devourer would destroy the fruits of the ground. What Israel had worked so hard for would be destroyed. A non-tither can expect can expect demonic spirits to cause their hard earned money to spoil, waste, or perish. Raises on the job that we should get will go to someone else. Accounts that we should obtain will not be ours. Investments that should produce will produce loss. Appliances and other things that should last will break before their time.
The second form of the curse was their “vine would cast her fruit before time in the field.” What that means is the timing for increase would always be off. In other words you will never operate in God’s divine timing. Doors will always open early or late in your life. Someone will always beat you to the punch. But when a person tithes, these effects will never happen. You will get the raises you are supposed to get and some that you are not supposed to get. Your things will last longer than you expected. You will operate in God’s divine timing and that will produce blessings in your life.
God promises the person who tithes that He will rebuke the devourer for their sake. He will stop the destructive nature of the negative spiritual forces form destroying what is rightfully yours. The Bible calls the devourer a thief (John 10:10). Rebuke means to criticize; reprimand; check or repress; because he has done wrong. This means that when you tithe, every time the devil seeks to harm your increase, the LORD will check him; not for his sake but yours. One Word for the Lord will stop anything from happening; so shall my word goeth forth out (Isaiah 55:11).
If you are having a difficult time getting ahead financially, check to see if the devourer is eating up your increase. Just maybe the curse is on your life. The cars break down, the washer or dryer stops prematurely, and unexpected sickness. Bills you cannot explain could be signs that the devourer is working in your life. The Lord says that He wants to stop this from happening to you. All you have to do is tithe. You cannot rebuke the devourer, God has to do it. Today repent and allow your covenant keeping God to stop the negative effects of demonic forces from devouring your increase.
Father, I stand upon Philippians 4:19 which states, “My God will meet my needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus”. I thank you that I do not have to put trust in my ability to meet my needs, but I put my trust in your ability to effectively work through me.
Father, I stand upon Psalm 34:10 that declares “the lions may grow weak and hungry but those who seek the Lord shall lack no good thing.” Lord as I seek your face I am believing that I and my family will lack no good thing.
Father, I stand upon Proverbs 13:22 that states “a good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.” Father I am believing in you for creative ideas and opportunities to build wealth in order to leave a legacy for my children’s children. Let this be done according to your will.
Father, I stand upon Malachi 3:10-12 which states, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops and the vines in your field will not drop there before it is ripe.”
Lord we thank you as we are faithful in paying our tithes that you will not only protect our finances from the evil one, but you will also cause our finances to overflow. We rebuke the devourer, and trust that every dollar you have for us is ours. In Jesus Name Amen.
